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Mass. child labor citations drop

BOSTON (AP) -- The state has issued more than 3,500 citations for violations of child labor laws since 2007, but the number has been dropping off in recent years.

A spokesman for the state attorney's general's office credited the reduction to tougher enforcement, heightened public awareness, better compliance and a reduced number of teenagers in the workforce.

But Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, tells The Boston Globe (http://bo.st/ZYwwPB ) she's concerned about the large drop in the number of infractions and the lack of spot checks since the attorney general cut the number of inspectors in its fair labor division.

Some citations issued since 2007 that have resulted in $314,000 in fines include 16-year-old youths working more than nine hours straight, and teens working without adult supervision.

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